ShareSaveLifestyle SpiritsDelas Frères Opens Architecturally Inviting Winery In Tain-l’HermitageByTom Mullen Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights travel and lifestyle from a base in FranceFollow AuthorDec 22 08:47am ESTShareSaveThis article is more than 5 years old.Delas Frères new winery in Tain-l'Hermitage French Rhone Valley wine producer Delas Frères has opened a new winery in Tain-l’Hermitage This commune in the Drôme department of southeastern France abuts the Rhone River south of Lyon and north of Valence—a region known overall with winemakers as the ‘northern Rhone.’ This $18 million upgrade and transformation of facilities sits about 250 yards (a quarter kilometer) from the Rhone River and less than a mile (1.3 kilometers) from the summit of Hermitage hill (Thomas Jefferson, former U.S. president, stated in the year 1791 that the best wine in the world came from the hill of Hermitage; although he spoke about white wine at that time local reds have since gained international renown.) (This same architect also worked on an extension of the Louvre in Paris and designed other wine château renovations in the Luberon valley) Delas Frères barrel room at Tain-l'Hermitage winery purchased this new property in 2015 to celebrate the company’s 180-year anniversary The acquisition and upgrade of this Tain-l’Hermitage property will move the focal point of wine production away from existing facilities now located in Saint-Jean-de-Muzols Delas Frères winery at Tain-l'Hermitage The work here is an extension of an overall long-term upgrade of the company’s wine facilities This effort began in 1996 and has involved replacing support walls on the Hermitage hills acquiring—in 2006—50 acres (20 hectares) in the Crozes-Hermitage appellation and adopting gravity flow processes for grapes and wine Delas Frères produces wines from its own vineyard grapes as well as from suppliers located in Côte Rotie Their wines are made from grapes that include Syrah liegt nicht in der gewünschten Sprache vor Möchten Sie auf die Startseite der gewählten Sprache wechseln The content you are trying to access is not available in the selected language Would you like to switch to the home page of the selected language Climate & Resources Interiors & Design Products & References Videos & Podcasts Current Issue Collaborations Advertorials Company Portraits BAU 2025 Detail About Schüco Detail About Solarlux BAU 2025 Events DETAIL Product Award 2023 DETAIL Award 2024 DETAIL Award 2022 Detail Inspiration DETAIL Magazine DETAIL Inspiration DETAIL Books Contributors 60 Years DETAIL Digital Lab DETAIL Product Award 2023 DETAIL Award 2022 Legal Notice Data protection Social Media Media Kit Newsletter Climate & Resources Interiors & Design Products & References Current Issue Collaborations Events which lies 80 kilometres south of Lyon and has 6,000 inhabitants has enjoyed a viticultural tradition for centuries this tradition is the reason that “l’Hermitage” was affixed to the town’s name On behalf of the local winemaker Delas Frères Swedish-born architect Carl Fredrik Svenstedt has refurbished a dilapidated estate in the middle of the town and expanded it by two new buildings The old structure now serves as a guest house with a restaurant and tasting room this building is flanked by a single-storey wine shop with an entrance face of natural stone Svenstedt had the true showpiece of the ensemble made of the same material: the closed façade that encloses the tank and cask stores to the rear of the lot this load-bearing wall undulates along the 80-metre length of the building; it is easy to forget that it is actually made of blocks measuring 55 cm in thickness and 2 m in height ramps link the different levels of the building with each other and the rooftop terrace A long skylight bathes the natural stone in dramatic beams of light is made of Estaillade limestone quarried just a few kilometres upriver This stone was processed with digital milling tools in a nearby workshop The blocks are anchored to the foundation with inserted tension cables; further stainless-steel cables join them on the horizontal plane in a way that cannot be seen on the surface a concrete wall with a similar thermal storage capacity - vital to wine - would have required much more grey energy compared to the limestone wall Landscape architecture: Christophe Ponceau Planning of the natural stone wall: Atelier Graindorge DETAIL ARCHITECTURE GmbH is a leading international platform for design and construction solutions in architecture usable information and inspiration to all of the world's leading architects and architectural schools based on a unique project database with thousands of buildings documented in detail - in DETAIL Events DETAIL Inspiration DETAIL Inspiration FAQ Magazine Books Collection Cancel Subscription Social Media Register now for our newsletter and get a €10 voucher for the DETAIL Shop By sending this message, I agree that the data provided may be processed and used for the purpose of sending the newsletter. I may at any time revoke my consent. (Data protection) Text description provided by the architects. The terraced hills above Tain l’Hermitage have been cultivated since Roman times and are reputed for some of the best wine along the Rhone Valley. Delas Frères was determined to renovate a historic, centrally located property, investing in their past, despite the challenges of wine harvesting in an urban context. © Dan GlasserThe shop forms the opposing garden wall, a linear space behind shading, staggered stone pillars. An existing chestnut tree traces a bite out of the wall, under which one finds the shaded, glazed entrance of the shop. The existing mansion affirms itself as the central element of the garden and is renovated as a guest house, linked to the winery. It has a restaurant and tasting rooms, bedrooms overlooking the garden and a cellar for the historic bottle collection. The structural façades are made of load bearing fifty-centimetre-thick Estaillade stone from down the river relatively light sandstone is ideally adapted to massive stone construction being workable and best in thick structural blocks undulating wall is eighty metres long and seven metres high The wall is made from blocks individually carved by robot which are post-tensioned to the foundations and bonded horizontally using stainless steel cables while the resulting gravel is reused to pave the garden the blocks are mounted traditionally by a two-man father and son team of stonemasons You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email A week in the life of a Rhône correspondent during en primeur… If I leave my house in the UK after breakfast I can reach Tain l’Hermitage by train in time for dinner It’s a journey I make several times a year but my autumn visit when I taste the new vintage (in this case the 2022) is the most instructive – and the most gruelling Tasting around 80 wines a day takes a lot of concentration and you finish the day exhausted Is that the sound of tiny violins I hear as I pull into the station it’s surprisingly difficult to find somewhere to watch this evening’s England game I’m directed to a new bar on the edge of town that opened a few months ago It does a good burger and the terrace has a panoramic view of the hill of Hermitage – a sight I never tire of but reading some weather reports clarifies the situation – 2022 was the hottest and driest since 1950 Normally I walk up to the Chapelle on Hermitage hill before a day’s tasting in Tain but the lazy devil on my shoulder is rather smug – I have a satisfactory excuse to skip the morning’s exercise which will be my base for the next few days After lunch I visit Chapoutier to taste through its 2022s, including some very impressive Hermitage Maxime Chapoutier says they saw 180mm of rain in certain parcels during the last 12 hours – that’s a quarter of a year’s rainfall The term ‘climate chaos’ is no exaggeration I finish the day at Le Tournesol restaurant in Tournon It’s run by a welcoming husband-and-wife team serving small plates of seasonal French cooking and has an exceptional wine list with lots of hard-to-find gems I get up early to blue skies. The foot of the hill of Hermitage is cluttered with heaps of sandy soil washed down the slopes, broken échalas (the poles on which the vines are trained), bits of old vine…despite a small tree blocking the path I make my way to the summit. The Rhône River flows a muddy brown below Today I’m tasting Cornas and Hermitage Expecting sweetly ripe fruit and high alcohol An afternoon visiting Pierre and Olivier Clape of Domaine Clape then Franck Balthazar of his eponymous domaine sheds some light on the vintage – it was so dry in 2022 that some vines shut down and stopped ripening I work through the whites today. Some appellations, such as St-Joseph It’s certainly not as fresh and tense in style as the cool 2021 – quite the opposite A visit to Domaine Gonon is always a highlight of my northern Rhône tastings Jean Gonon is buoyant but weary after a tough season – he’s just finished harvesting the 2023s ‘The most stressful moment is deciding when to pick,’ he says and stresses the importance of having a good team at harvest 2020 and 2021 wines from bottle; a sample of 2022 from tank; then take a peek at his 2023s A daunting line-up of red Crozes-Hermitage today – 76 in total dry weather is reflected in the wines here: very ripe They are certainly more successful than the disastrous 2021s Afterwards I meet with Grégory Joannès, the new managing director of Paul Jaboulet Aîné. The company has been restructured, and a new property established. The jewel in the Jaboulet crown, Hermitage La Chapelle and will now be made in a new winery called Domaine de la Chapelle Paul Jaboulet Aîné will continue to make its other domaine wines and negociant blends with a tighter focus on the northern Rhône A day of visits around Côte-Rôtie and Condrieu today, starting at 9am at Domaine JP Jamet. Wow, its Côte-Rôties are tannic! Certainly more structured than a typical year, but still detailed, fresh and expressive. Pierre Rostaing’s are softer and more velvety in style. The weather in 2022 made for a relatively relaxed end to the season – there was no grass to cut and no disease pressure due to the drought. But ‘it was hard to watch the vines suffer,’ he says. Usually around 1% of his vines die naturally each year. It was 3%-4% in 2022. There will be a lot of replanting to do this winter. A comprehensive tasting of Stéphane Ogier’s single-vineyard wines, some brilliant, finishes a long and enlightening week. I expected wines akin to 2003 or 2019; what I found was a fascinating if curious mix of 2014, 2016 and 2018. Is it a good year? Yes; but not uniformly. It will be interesting to see how the southern Rhône compares. I’ll let you know. Look out for Matt Walls’ southern Rhône diary next week. Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page Many visitors to Vienne and Tain-l’Hermitage in France’s northern Rhône region drive or take a short train ride south from Lyon for a day trip that typically includes a wine tour And most stories about the northern Rhone River Valley focus on wine Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience some of the best wine in the world comes from here But we also discovered the area is home to Roman ruins and monuments So we booked two nights at a fabulous gite smack dab in the middle of vineyards with a panoramic view of the Rhône river winding through the city but you can take also the Vienne city tram from the tourism office; a one-hour ride cost 7 euros By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of Travel Time will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? This tourism office provides much more than a map and information. It has 900 bottles of wine on the wall, 10 metres high — a wine library that would impress any oenophile. “We love eating and cooking, and offer a tour called Vienne Gourmand for French and foreigners,” said Hélène Hermant, our contact in Vienne. “It includes three shops and a wine tasting upstairs with chocolate, cheese and saucisson. And a little history.” “Little” is an understatement. We meandered uphill to the Théâtre Antique de Vienne, abandoned at the end of the Roman times, rediscovered in the early 20th century and restored in 1938. Archeologists have cordoned off some areas of this Roman theatre, still unearthing Gallo-Roman objects dating from the first century B.C. to the third century A.D., when the towns of Vienne and St-Romain were major ports on the river. (Romans were the first to plant hillside vines in the Northern Rhone Valley.) With its perfect acoustics, this theatre welcomed 11,000 Roman spectators back in 1 A.D. The crowd capacity has shrunk a bit in the past 2,000 or so years. Now, 8,000 music lovers come to this great stone semi-circle for the international Jazz à Vienne Festival during the first two weeks in July. Founded in 1981, this festival has showcased the likes of Miles Davis, Sting and Diana Krall. On the back of the stage, a large mural depicts many world-class performers, including Miles Davis, who played here five times. Seated at the piano to his left is the composer Hector Berlioz, head in his hands (none of us figured out why). Roman monuments and ruins are liberally scattered about Vienne, and you can still make out the ancient city from limestone basements of nearby homes. Hélène Hermant told us that Vienne city hall is new, built in 1850 (!) and the round tower is from the 16th century. We strolled down rue Marchande, one of just a few busy streets in the city, and a shopping hub. We ducked into a clothing store. Normally, we’d be ogling the clothes, but inside the old stone walls grabbed our attention. We then turned down a side street into a square and WOW! With its Corinthian columns, the temple of Augustus and Livia looked like it was air-dropped from another space and time. It is one of the largest intact Roman temples in existence. It’s fenced off from the public but surrounded by wine bars with outdoor patios, where you can admire it in comfort. When Thomas Jefferson visited in 1787 as the United States’ Minister to France, he thought he was seeing a “Pretorian palace” and in the square is a plaque in his honour. After working up an appetite admiring the temple over an appertif, we paused for lunch at Muse, a gem of a restaurant in the centre of Vienne. I seldom order chicken at restaurants in Canada, but I often do in France because there is no comparison with the quality of chicken produced there. And Muse knows what to do with it. Add great service and a knowledgeable sommelier with a superb local wine list, and we couldn’t have found a better meal. A 45-minute drive south of Vienne is Tain-l’Hermitage, best known as the home of the Valrhona chocolate factory. We visited its interactive museum early to avoid the river-cruise crowds. The museum is fascinating and very clever, taking you through the stages of chocolate making — from collecting the pods to a live factory-line replica — with plenty of tasting along the way. “Vienne is small, but if you are cranky, it’s big enough to avoid people,” said Hermant, laughing. Our gite in Tain-l’Hermitage — one of six perched on Maison Chapoutier’s vine-speckled hillside — is also perfect for cranky people. All you can hear is birdsong and the occasional tractor, with not a soul in sight. From the gite are walking paths to wander the hills, flanked by the centuries-old Crozes-Hermitage vineyards. From the Chapoutier estate, you can see row upon row of some of the oldest and most celebrated vines in the country. The gites are modern and tastefully furnished and our kitchen was a cook’s dream. Next up was a wine tasting at Chapoutier, which was established in 1808. We walked (everything is within walking distance) to one of their vineyards and learned about Condrieu, one of the best and oldest French white wines. We also heard about the winery’s history going back to Roman times and that in 1996, Michel Chapoutier became the first wine producer to print its labels in Braille. Our tasting was followed by lunch at Marius bistro in Tain-l’Hermitage. This stunning space, with stylish décor and an open kitchen, served a “summer salad” that can’t come close to anything I’ve had before and probably never will have. Even if I wrangled the recipe, it wouldn’t taste the same at home. Like the chicken, not even our lettuce can compare. Back near Vienne, archaeologists are slowly uncovering an entire Roman town — complete with stone avenues, public baths and foundations of houses — at Saint-Romain-en-Gal, across the river from Vienne’s city centre. How could you not stay in the area for less than a few days? For more information, visit vienne-condrieu.com/en transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account begins a new series of ‘in conversation’ pieces in which he tracks down some of the world’s leading winemakers Here he talks to French winemaker Caroline Frey Paul Jaboulet Aîné in Hermitage and Château Corton-C in Aloxe-Corton Caroline Frey first took the helm of the family’s Haut-Médoc third growth chateau after studying at the Universite OEnologie Bordeaux Since then she has become known as a cutting-edge winemaker and an advocate of organic viticulture adopting organic practices to nurture healthier vines at La Lague I don’t want my wines to have a style A style is a fashion and fashions pass – I prefer to talk about the identity of a wine We search for the deep soul of a wine and we seek to preserve that special link to the place from which it comes I believe that the quality of any wine comes essentially from its terroir That is why we attach so much importance to the proper functioning of the ecosystem in which our vines grow This involves a profound attention to all that takes place underground – the humus the mycelium – and all that takes places above ground – the fauna and flora the microclimate and the surrounding biodiversity Our wines draw their identity from their environment; that is what makes them unique The ultimate taste of the wine in the glass and the health of the terroir are intimately interconnected This is why we do everything we can to preserve our terroir climate change has of course also impacted the taste of our wines It is by tending and preserving a soil capable of regulating the effects of the climate that we preserve the identity of our wines Maturity must always come from the plant and not from the mechanical effects of heat A soil that has a good amount of humus is capable of retaining water like a sponge and releasing it when necessary it is needed But although it is the necessary precondition of greatness the musical score that nature has composed; it still has to be performed Viticulture is the means through which we seek to give the best expression to it You can’t give the score of the Chopin Nocturne to just anyone and expect a great concert the knowledge and the experience of the winemaker that makes the magic possible the more it becomes a question of touch and emotion The process of vinification is just like that The task is to protect the wine from all the defects that might mask its terroir typicity (for example it is to give it the freedom to express itself – like a child A maternal instinct is perhaps something of a plus At Jaboulet it is very easy to see that it is the terroirs that bring the identity to the wine For our vinifications are almost the same for the different terroirs; but when you taste the wines they are profoundly different you’re right – things are probably just a little more complicated than that very different and it may not be terribly helpful to seek to draw comparisons One needs an integral and holistic understanding of the whole terroir/climate relationship The soils of Bordeaux would probably not support the climate of the Rhone climate and the inverse would probably not work very well either And when it comes to climate change it’s not really a question of one being more severely impacted than the other I would not draw that conclusion from my experience in particular to allow the vines to withstand both intense periods of heat but long periods of drought punctuated by occasional episodes of substantial rainfall seem to me to have had the same impact on the two regions in recent years the fact that in the Rhone valley the vineyard is dispersed and not from a single block like La Lagune may serve to limit overall frost and hailstorm damage each region has its strengths and its challenges We simply have to manage as best we can such different situations we see that the vines of the hill of Hermitage are in great shape – vibrantly green with beautiful clusters – it does not seem quite right to us to say that the Rhône is suffering more drought is now something of an established and proven trend This is perhaps our biggest challenge: to ensure that the water resources are adequate for the vine to function properly until harvest Only the soil can play this reservoir role We have adapted our viticulture in this direction During periods of drought and heat we leave the vines alone The addition of biodynamic compost and the grinding (broyage) of the vine shoots makes it possible to restore organic matter We sow green fertilisers in the autumn and lay them down in the spring using the Mexican method of the ‘faca roller (to encourage their composting) The aim is to preserve soil quality whilst at the same time nourishing it The use of biodynamic preparations such as cow horn manure has been proven to improve soil structure There are many other ways to improve the quality of the soil too in the use of organic indicator plants that help us to understand what the soil needs and when it needs it But that is just one of a number of new techniques we are starting to use We have adapted our way of working the vines and will continue to do so with less trimming and more foliage retained around the grape bunches to maintain shade It is all about the small details; together they make a difference 2022 has proved a very dry year and yet some vines have never looked better we have acquired a great deal of experience since 2003 and much has changed how to cultivate vines in these conditions Today we have achieved a relatively good level of control they seem better adapted than old oak trees; we should not under-estimate their resilience each year we need a fair dose of good fortune if we are not to lose our harvest What is clear is that maturity arrives earlier in warm years; we now sometimes start harvesting in August we see maturity differences between different plots reduced We need to harvest faster and that requires larger teams We have done and continue to do a lot of trial testing to have a finer understanding of the needs of the soil and the vine We pay special attention to the soil but also to certain stages of the vine cycle that are particularly important for making a great wine berry formation and veraison are all times when the plant must function properly But the plant’s winter reserves are also crucial it must be able to regenerate during the winter We use plant-based preparations to help support these important steps adjusted to the prevailing climatic conditions which help to reinforce the vines’ natural reserves We seek to promote the good functioning of the soil with a compost whose development we closely monitor so that it is well adapted to the needs of our soils And we have a programme of massal selection in an through which we identify the vine stock that best responds to climatic constraints our grapes tend now to be smaller with thicker skins we have greatly reduced the extraction we seek with less frequent and gentler pumping over and pigeage Almost all of our extraction is now achieved simply through natural maceration We are also now equipped with a cold room to cool our harvest before placing it in the vats or the presses for the whites This also allows us to harvest more quickly Since grape maturity can advance very quickly we have to adapt so as not to harvest over-ripe grapes “Viticulture must be an accompaniment to nature and not a struggle against it biodynamics is an obvious philosophy that allows us to better understand and therefore better care for the vine.” If you pay the right attention to the proper functioning of the soil and the plant have become increasingly erratic and unpredictable – with more intense rainstorms and longer periods of drought The only way to face these climatic conditions is to be very careful and to focus on the quality of the soil Farming organically and biodynamically certainly makes a difference; but however one farms it is crucial to take the utmost care of the soil Each region has its own terroir and its own history But of course I always try to see if something that works well in one region might be interesting for the other as much as anything else that comes from the complimentary skills of the teams our culture manager is very interested in biodynamic plants and compost we have a culture manager who is very competent in top-grafting and massal selection When we pool the skills of both team we have a lot of possibilities The particularity of a great terroir is precisely its capacity to adapt to all climatic conditions the terroirs that go into the La Chapelle blend are always the same One might imagine that the very stony soils like those of the hill of Hermitage especially with its fully southern exposure It is not by accident that these are considered great terroirs which allows the vine to sink its roots very deep to find water in limestone concretions formed under the stones by bacteria with incredible natural resources and great resilience It is not surprisingly that the wines they give rise to are so consistent and so unique We have carried out extensive comparative trial tests in the vineyard then vinified the trials separately until bottling regularly to blind taste the different modalities We have a consistent and strong preference for biodynamic wines Our greatest anxieties are about climate change – and we question ourselves almost daily about that But I remain confident that we will find solution In every decision we make today we think about the quality of the wine but also about the protection of our terroirs and their biodiversity about human health and our carbon footprint These considerations influence all that we do let me emphasise the importance of organic and biodynamic viticulture Not only is it beneficial to the quality of the wines but it allows for living soils that better retain water and therefore prevent both erosion and flooding But they also capture more carbon and therefore participate in regulating atmospheric carbon The planting of trees and hedges in the vines also contributes to this good functioning Each domaine must also highlight its heritage we have 40 hectares of wetlands surrounding the vineyards They are a protected area (classified ZNIEFF) Wetlands are very important for the water cycle We also have forests at Domaines Paul Jaboulet Ainé All of this we see as essential to preserving biodiversity with the use of vegetable inks and recycled materials for wine cartons and lightweight bottles It’s the small actions of everyone that will make the difference but we do our best and try to improve every day a vintage that is not been talked about much and sometimes goes a little unnoticed Whether it’s La Lagune or La Chapelle This vintage was marked in both regions by spring frost The work in the vineyard was intense in both regions 2021 thus seems like something of a rarity bringing the return to a slightly forgotten taste This vintage will also have the virtue of having given the vines a year of rest after several trying vintages in terms of drought and heat waves At La Lagune 2021 is a vintage in which Cabernet Sauvignon takes a more important place in the blend with the arrival of several plots replanted 15 years ago which are now revealing their best Despite a cooler and wetter year than the previous vintages the precision of our interventions in the vineyard was obviously decisive and the know-how of our teams acquired over the last 15 years of organic and biodynamic farming a real asset for preserving the health of the foliage the proper functioning of our soils and therefore the final maturity of the grapes The taste of grapes and wine has been our driving force on a daily basis The balance of this vintage highlights the pure expression of Cabernet Sauvignon continuous and with a beautiful length completed by the sweetness of Merlot and the density of Petit Verdot The hillsides of La Chapelle have always worked wonders In this vintage their capacity to drain so well has been crucial The white wines were able to take advantage of the cool climate to develop excellent balance and intense aromatics And the Syrah of La Chapelle itself has aromas of cooler vintages the mid-palate is more marked by elegance and sweetness and the long finish takes advantage of the beautiful natural freshness and acidity of the vintage We should take advantage of this cool vintage because it is not sure that we will get to see its like again soon See here for the Château La Lagune Historical Vertical Tasting 2004-2020 and the Hermitage La Chapelle Historical Vertical Tasting 2006-2020 Hermitage La Chapelle Historical Vertical Tasting 2006-2020 Château La Lagune Historical Vertical Tasting 2004-2020 Your email address will not be published. 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This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again. substantial investment in facilities and people has allowed Delas to produce quality authentic and terroir-driven expressions of their prime Rhône vineyard holdings The jewel in the crown of the Delas vineyards is their 10 hectare holding on the Hermitage hill a granite outcrop that rises majestically from the Rhône river and watches over the town of Tain-l’Hermitage Tain l’Hermitage overlooked by the Hermitage hill How the Hermitage vineyards are configured The bulk (7.5 ha) of the Hermitage holdings lies in arguably the grandest of all the Hermitage terroirs and a small parcel in the l’Hermite sector exposure to prevailing winds and soils all contribute to the individual characteristics of these terroirs and have traditionally allowed the best winemakers to blend wines from different sites and parts of the Hermitage hill to produce a wine that is greater than its constituent parts One could argue that single vineyard red Hermitage is a relatively recent phenomenon and stems from a desire to express the individual character of specific lieu-dits on the Hermitage hill not dissimilar to the different intricate expressions of Pinot Noir one can discern across adjacent or even within vineyards in Burgundy A more cynical observer may point out that in the past ‘Single Vineyard’ or Prestige cuvées have been promoted in order to attract critical acclaim for a domaine rather than out of vinous curiosity or drive Another downside that is sometimes leveled at the marketing of limited-production wines is that they can adversely impact the quality of the ‘traditional’ bottling from the same vineyard One of the cornerstones of the Delas philosophy is to allow terroir to express itself as naturally as possible and in the best vintages this allows for the production of a small set of ‘single vineyard’ wines from sites that carry a truly unique signature Examples include the Saint-Joseph Sainte-Epine the Hermitage Les Bessards and the Condrieu Clos Boucher Production of these cuvées is usually limited to around 5,000 bottles The Hermitage Les Bessards was first produced in the glorious 1990 vintage and has since become a standard bearer for the Delas lineup The mainstay red Delas Hermitage is called Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes Les Grandes Vignes and l’Hermite terroirs and accounts for roughly 85% of the Delas output from the Hermitage hill the Delas winemaking team (Claire Darnaud and Jacques Grange) decided to follow the potential of the wine from the Les Grandes Vignes terroir in more detail instead of routinely blending it into the main red Hermitage The terroir lies above the iconic La Chapelle on the Hermitage hill at approximately 300m altitude and is part of the Crozes-Hermitage commune (but not the AOC) no other winemaker is currently producing a red Hermitage specifically from this terroir The higher altitude of Les Grandes Vines leads to a slower ripening of the grapes and the vines are also more susceptible to northerly winds The vineyard is organically farmed and is composed of pure granite with only a very thin layer of topsoil I had a chance to compare recent vintages of the Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes side by side with the as yet unreleased Hermitage Les Grandes Vignes 2014 Hermitage rouge Domaine des Tourettes classic Northern Rhône syrah meaty/gamey nose elegant and fresh with a stalky note adding to a textured and balanced feel 2015 Hermitage rouge Domaine des Tourettes brooding nose with black fruits and graphite notes Firm ripe tannic backbone with a remarkable freshness and again a textured palate that adds interest Textbook vintage delivers an ageworthy wine Low night time temperatures led to slow ripening of the tannins 2016 Hermitage rouge Domaine des Tourettes mature raspberries with some underlying smokey graphite notes 2017 Hermitage rouge Domaine des Tourettes (cask sample) Ripe tannic structure with black fruits and olive tapenade fresh and more structured than ’16 Tourettes freshness with intensity and structure of the ’15 vintage Delas winemaker Claire Darnaud and Mark Bingley MW How different is the Hermitage rouge Les Grandes Vignes from the Hermitage rouge Domaine des Tourettes Les Grandes Vignes is the more structured wine with a more pronounced red fruit melange as opposed to a black fruited It is also striking how Les Grandes Vignes conveys a cooler almost Burgundian impression – maybe it’s the closest thing to a Grand Cru Burgundy from Hermitage Whether Les Grandes Vignes is the better wine but it certainly will be fascinating to see how its personality develops over time This tasting exemplified the Delas house style with a hands-off approach to let the vintage and terroir express itself No date has yet been set for the official commercial release of the Hermitage rouge Les Grandes Vignes The Buyer TVClick below to watch The Buyer's library of online debates, videos and webinars. two riverboat companies with senior executives onboard -- not a bad way to spend time during the latter part of the first full year in a pandemic I sailed the Rhine and Moselle aboard the AmaLucia and was on a Rhone sailing on the Avalon Poetry II co-founder and president Rudi Schreiner was among the passengers Aboard Avalon's ship with me was the chief marketing officer of the Globus family of brands Both lines featured superstar cruise directors who excelled in taking great care of passengers With no passengers to attend to for more than a year feeding off the feeling of a ship come back to life Sailing through two of the world's most famous wine regions (Rhine/Moselle and Cote du Rhone) local wine was not hard to find on either ship and it was poured free of charge at lunch and dinner on both ships Avalon's Panorama Suites feature a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows facing the foot of the bed but when docked the curtains needed to remain closed -- it overlooked the gangway Something to keep in mind when choosing a cabin for clients and Avalon's Comfort Collection bed was indeed ridiculously comfortable I overheard a fellow passenger saying the temperature control system in the room was one of the best they had experienced on a ship there were buffet options for breakfast but also an option for a room service breakfast and I noticed that waiters brought guests their favorite beverages unprompted I did have to work a bit to flag down someone for a cup of coffee at breakfast or a cocktail during happy hour the half-price cocktails from Avalon's custom mixology menu were a true bargain with intricate concoctions that could easily go for $20 at a big-city bar served here for just $6 (Born admitted that writing the elaborate descriptions for each of the cocktails was a passion project.) Dining alfresco at the Sky Grill was fantastic on a sunny day as the scenery drifted by (There was also a choice of a bistro-style dinner.) The dinners aboard the ship were particularly tasty; regionally inspired offerings like escargot chestnut soup and Provencal-style sea bass were among the items being served though I felt the desserts and pastries fell a tad short with hand sanitizer nearby and individually wrapped cookies at the snack counter A nice touch worth mentioning was a complimentary water station in the Deck 3 Club Lounge that dispensed distilled or fizzy water flavored with choices like ginger and lime or grapefruit and moringa An onboard musician flanked by guest entertainers kept evenings amusing for me it all came down to the Gipsy Kings -- or rather their musical relatives -- who hail from the Arles region of France and played an incredible authentic set while we were docked in the area Tours are the star on Avalon's Active and Discovery itineraries and they shine from the moment you step off the ship -- which may occur shortly after your cruise is underway On the first night we were treated to an easygoing nighttime tour of Lyon that kept jet lag at bay It was such a welcome opportunity to immediately start exploring the destination I have to mention I was won over by Florin who left me smiley-face stickers to decorate my mask And he would tune my cabin TV to a thumping Top 40 hits station while everyone else seemed to get the standard fireplace channel My room on the AmaLucia had a feature called twin balconies -- a French balcony near the sitting area and a full It was a great combination: I could let in almost a full wall of light and scenery or could sit outside in the open air as the fairy-tale villages of Germany came into view I prefer table service to buffets, so AmaWaterway's move to an a la carte menu suited me well the menu had a wide variety of options for all three meals The relaxed pace aboard the AmaLucia made meals an event while basic cocktails were free during nightly happy hours The culinary highlight was the Chef's Table experience offered to each guest once per cruise in a dedicated space; it was an exceptional display of flavor and skill and it is home to some of my favorite childhood dishes so I can sometimes be critical of poorly prepared German cuisine I was thoroughly impressed with the regional offerings As on Avalon, an onboard musician with guest entertainers was a nice way to pass the evening and a Cologne-based lounge singer brought me to tears for reasons too complicated to explain Although there remains an emphasis on walking tours You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed Riverside Bach and Riverside Mahler -- hold a special place in the heart of luxury lovers Why? First, four of the 114-passenger ships – all except Riverside Mozart which is a special refitted vessel on the Danube notable for being wider than most – were custom-built for Europe’s rivers by now-defunct Crystal River Cruises The luxury line outfitted them to the hilt with swanky extras a main lounge with a glass ceiling that brings in extra light and a gorgeous restaurant that actually feels like one you’d visit on land featuring a la minute cooking and included top-shelf vintages was so good Cruise Critic declared it tops in our annual Editors Picks the service on the ships had that special intuitive touch complete with butlers and an outstanding concierge program that helped to set the line apart Riverside has big shoes to fill on the rivers of Europe Palm Court lounge on Riverside Ravel (Photo: Chris Gray Faust) Luckily the new company has luxury in its DNA Riverside is owned by the Seaside Collection a family-run hotel brand with properties in the Canary Islands We’ve been told that the owners have been watching Riverside’s maiden season carefully to make sure the line is living up to Seaside standards there are some things that the fledgling line needs to work on mostly onboard communication and shore excursion organization The good news is travel professionals and agents have been onboard Riverside Ravel for the ship’s abbreviated inaugural season We’re hopeful that Riverside Ravel returns in 2024 even stronger Here are our takeaways from a week with Riverside Luxury Cruises: Escargot on Riverside Ravel (Photo: Chris Gray Faust) local dishes and excellent execution are a winning formula That’s what we experienced at almost every meal we had in the ship’s Waterside Restaurant The space is set up for success: Unlike on other river cruise ships these vessels have their buffet tucked into a separate room so diners aren’t subjected to annoying queues or bustle The spread at breakfast and lunch is extensive with outstanding presentations and a choice of made-to-order options Cheeses are local and unusual (think Pave d’Affinois Pont l’Eveque and Reblochen); pastries are made onboard by executive chef Jozsef Reichenbach The waiter-served dinner menus were creative and gourmet It’s hard to have a cruise ship restaurant with food as good as what you’d find on shore Executive chef Paula Iacoblev deserved her nightly kudos as well as applause during the day for the once-per-sailing top deck BBQ that featured a whole suckling pig Tapas menu at the Bistro on Riverside Ravel (Photo: Chris Gray Faust) Our only head-scratching meal came at The Bistro an alternative restaurant that the ship ran several nights during our trip Billed as tapas by one server and bistro by another the menu contained dishes like venison carpaccio While the food was delicious and well presented and the tastes somewhat odd for North American cruisers The terms “tapas” and “bistro” evoke certain expectations for passengers The space might be better utilized as a nightly casual menu for those who don’t want to clean up for the main dining room Decanted wines for Vintage Room on Riverside Ravel (Photo: Chris Gray Faust) Vintage Room on Riverside Ravel (Photo: Chris Gray Faust) True oenophiles will want to splurge for the seven-course Vintage Room experience This private dining room seats 10 and comes with an eye-watering price of $295 per person -- or $3,000 for the entire room once we saw the wines that were selected and served by urbane restaurant manager Andras Horvath All bottles opened were in the 50-to-100-euro range with the top vintage – a 2018 Premier Grand Cru from Bordeaux’s Chateau Figeac – coming in at nearly 300 euros The wines were poured liberally to accompany chef Iacoblev’s menu; our group of strangers left as happy and full (and more than a bit tipsy) friends Entry cabin on Riverside Ravel (Photo: Chris Gray Faust) We were happy to see that Riverside didn’t mess too much with the ship’s cabins and suites The décor is similar to a fine European hotel A flat-screen TV can be pulled out from the wall for better viewing and there’s a complimentary mini-bar close at hand Seahorse Suite on Riverside Ravel (Photo: Chris Gray Faust) especially compared to your typical smaller European hotel room Riverside Ravel and its sisters also have truly grand Owners Suites that are the largest on the European rivers (a fact that Uniworld is already trumpeting in its literature since chartering Riverside Ravel’s sister-ships) The one drawback is that the ship lacks true balconies While there’s a room-length picture window that can drop down and be screened for fresh air the ships have a design flaw that causes the windows to break if you go into one of Europe’s many locks you’re cautioned to keep them closed while sailing – a real bummer Tomahawk steaks and prawns grilled on Riverside Ravel (Photo: Chris Gray Faust) We were delighted to see some familiar faces onboard; a Riverside representative said that the company went out of their way to hire back as many Crystal employees as they could it was easy to tell who had been with Crystal and who had not – there was a professionalism and charm to the veterans that has always been hard to duplicate elsewhere worked on Crystal’s ocean ships for over 20 years Others onboard went out of their way to help – excursion manager Stephanie sorted out a transfer that went awry; housekeeper Victoria helped find my plus one’s iPhone that inexplicably slipped into a drawer crevasse Afternoon snacks in the Bistro on Riverside Ravel (Photo: Chris Gray Faust) We did hear some grumbling from staff that the experience for them And we did feel that the butler service on Riverside was not as fluid and intuitive as we had experienced under the previous owner We rarely saw our butler and we feel that position might be one that could assist with some of the ship’s overall communication issues because of the lack of an overall sailing schedule It was also never explained to us that room service was available and complimentary; a brochure left in the room had prices on it Other guests felt they didn’t know about booking opportunities like the Vintage Room until it was too late The ship should work to make that kind of information available to passengers whether it’s from the butler or is more present on the daily schedule or broadcast somewhere visible onboard We hope the company continues to scoop up – and retain – these Crystal vets A stronger hand overseeing the onboard communication details might also help It also seems like the ship staff is willing to adjust – when passengers questioned why no one was checking guest room cards as they left and arrived onboard the hotel director stepped up and started writing down room numbers as people boarded after excursions This common step – used aboard every major cruise ship afloat – allows for better security onboard as well as an accurate account of all passengers onboard and ashore at any given time Excursion to a truffle farm on Riverside Ravel (Photo: Chris Gray Faust) One thing that is consistent between Crystal and Riverside is that the onboard experience feels more like a hotel than a typical tour group Nightly entertainment is limited to a piano player as people linger over dinner with all tours included in most North American fares (although you can purchase a less-inclusive fare that doesn’t bundle alcoholic drinks and excursions We found very little information about these excursions available online before we left which meant we spent more time at the concierge desk than usual The excursions themselves varied wildly, from grand successes – an engaged truffle hunt demonstration and tasting at Domaine Bramarel complete with happy sniffing Labradors – to the disorganized: an oddly rushed chocolate and wine pairing session at Valrhona A walking tour of Aix-en-Provence was centered around a cheese tasting that was not mentioned in the description – in a location where a woman in a walker had to stay outside downstairs while others partook -- the person giving the presentation didn’t have enough English to properly explain what we were eating Night walking tour in Viviers on Riverside Ravel (Photo: Chris Gray Faust) Consistency of the shore excursion offerings day-to-day was also problematic we had three excursions and several choices It was also odd that we were bussed to Avignon from Chateauneuf-du-Pape for a short day trip when our cruise ended up there It led us to wonder if Riverside’s later start date in the season led to less convenient docking locations Hotels typically rely on guests to make their own arrangements while river cruise lines traditionally give more hand-holding This might be an area where Riverside and the Seaside Collection work together to provide a more boutique excursion experience that appeals to an emerging river cruise demographic The younger travelers who are gravitating toward luxury cruising are going to want to go beyond “follow the lollipop” tours We’d love to see Riverside innovate in this space Indoor swimming pool on Riverside Ravel (Photo: Chris Gray Faust) One area where Riverside is innovating is through the length of its cruises Passengers can choose from three and four-day taster cruises to the more typical weeklong itineraries – or string several together to make a longer voyage Champagne and nuts in the Palm Court on Riverside Ravel (Photo: Chris Gray Faust) We look forward to seeing how Riverside evolves as it grows We are excited to announce the first of Decanter’s Wine Experiences a series of carefully curated wine trips hosted by our regional wine specialists Each trip is a carefully tailored once-in-a-lifetime experience that will grant guests access to the best vineyards restaurants and wine experts of the region Matt Walls will be hosting the first Decanter Wine Experience imparting his knowledge of the region which he has honed over the years while reporting as Decanter’s Contributing Editor on all aspects of the Southern and Northern Rhône He’s spent years sharing the region’s best kept secrets from the local’s favourites to institutional must-sees and beautiful spots to visit Matt will take guests on an exceptional journey through this beautiful part of France complete with private wine tastings and gastronomical tours through unforgettable restaurants The trip will start in Chonas L’Amballan near Côte-Rôtie with dinner at award-winning Chef Phillippe Giradon’s Michelin star hotel and restaurant Matt will lead guests down the Rhône river as you explore Condrieu This trip is all about discovering the great wines of the Rhône so each vineyard stop has been carefully selected to provide a rounded and exciting depiction of the different appellations Matt will take guests to a number of revered vineyards including Stéphane Ogier Domaine Laurent Habrard and the iconic Chapoutier Guests will taste the very best the Rhône has to offer who has tasted his way around every vineyard and vintage over the years ‘I’ve put together what’s sure to be an unforgettable trip walking the vineyards with some of the greatest winemakers in the Rhône – both North and South We’ll be tasting some of the finest wines from this beautiful corner of France alongside some delicious local cuisine You’ll come away with a much richer understanding of this extraordinary region and plenty of stories to share over bottles with friends back home.’ – Matt Walls Wine trips don’t get more exclusive than this and spaces are strictly limited as a result Still have questions? View the full trip brochure here and see our frequently asked questions document here Book now Decanter Wine Experiences are arranged in connection with Academic Travel Abroad Inc. For full terms and conditions, see here I arrived late with a couple of friends to the village of Tain l’Hermitage We left our hotel on foot to find something to eat but a couple of brasseries in the main square were already closing We asked the waitress if we could order some food It used to amaze me that the home of Hermitage, and the Northern Rhône more generally It’s surprising that any kind of tourism took so long to establish itself here – after all terraced vineyards are some of the most dramatic in the world It’s an unspoilt landscape that attracts a lot of walkers Most of the other main draws are wine-related: walking tours through the vineyards and plenty of places to eat and drink to balance out all that healthy daytime activity It might be possible to get a meal after 9.30pm these days but it’s still important to do your research before arriving family-run domaines and though most will be happy to welcome visitors It will probably be the owner or their family that receive you personally – no polished marketing droids here as some can be hard to find – and French addresses can be exasperatingly vague It might also be worth checking what languages they speak if you don’t speak French leave the kids at home; for a four-year-old a winery is a uniquely intoxicating blend of the boring and the hazardous The two small towns to know at the northmost end of the region are Ampuis You could choose either as a base, but there are more eating options in Ampuis: Le Bistrot de Serine and Epicurieux are both informal spots with good simple food and great wine selections If you’re in the mood for fine dining, a different option is Le Beau Rivage in Condrieu. A 15-minute drive away on the opposite bank of the river is Domaine de Clairefontaine – the best option for both food and lodging These two towns are on either side of the Rhône Tournon is slightly larger and perhaps prettier but Tain has more accommodation and restaurant options – both make a good base to explore the Northern Rhône The village of Tain, squashed between the river and the hill of Hermitage itself, has spruced itself up immeasurably over the past 15 years. Jaboulet and Ferraton have opened reliable brasseries. My favourite wine bar is Le Bateau Ivre Chapoutier and Cave de Tain both have boutiques, where you can plan a variety of tours or walks around the vineyards. And Delas has just opened an architecturally impressive new winery and visitor centre If you’re looking for a wine shop, try Le Cave aux 5 Sens. It’s in a commercial park next to a supermarket, so don’t expect old-world charm; but you can expect an excellent selection of wines. For more personal service and a tighter range, visit La Compagnie de l’Hermitage Over the river in Tournon, if you’re looking for a chic, boutique hotel, Hotel de la Villeon is a fine place to stay. To eat, try Le Cerisier which has a comfortable but contemporary feel These neighbouring villages are smaller than Tain and Tournon Jean-Louis Chave vineyards-credit-Nanda-Gonzague You’ll also drive past the village of La Roche de Glun which inhabits a small island in the Rhône River Here you’ll find the restaurant and wine shop Auberge Monnet which has a good selection of natural wines within their broader range Between Cornas and Saint-Péray, the latter is the prettier. Take a walk up to the ruined Château de Crussol and grab a spot of lunch at bistrot La Ruche – its list of Cornas and Saint-Péray is second to none There aren’t many wineries to visit in Saint-Péray, but Domaine Rémy Nodin and Domaine du Tunnel are both in the village In Cornas there are plenty; try Domaine Alain Voge, Domaine du Coulet, Domaine A&E Verset – perhaps even Domaine Clape if you’re lucky The best time to visit is between April and July In August many producers will be on holiday and in September they’ll be concentrating on the new vintage Grenoble Isère Airport is an hour’s drive from both Ampuis and Tain L’Hermitage Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport is an hour’s drive from Ampuis and an hour and a half from Tain Join Matt Walls on the Decanter Wine Experience Rhone Valley Wine Tour this June Book now Decanter Wine Experiences are arranged in connection with Academic Travel Abroad Inc. For full terms and conditions, see here Has Andrew Jefford found France's greatest wine co-operative He hunts down outstanding value and quality in Tain l’Hermitage.. My search for France’s greatest co-operative continues Might it be the Northern Rhône’s Cave de Tain This isn’t easy country for mutualists. The Northern Rhône is a prized region of tiny vineyards and small domains (it has just 4,000 ha of the Rhône’s 70,000 ha of appellation land) Soaring vineyard values tempt ageing cooperative members to cash in itch to create their own domains as they take over from their co-op supplying parents the Cave de Tain had 600 members; numbers have halved since then Director Xavier Gomart admits that it’s hard to retain ambitious youngsters – while the lazy drift away because they don’t like the rigorous standards which the Cave de Tain imposes on its members It’s precisely that which should ensure that this outstanding co-operative continues to be a Northern Rhône landmark for generations to come was a Hermitage landowner who agreed to sell his 6-ha holding to the co-operative when he retired The co-operative then bought another 16 ha of Hermitage during the 1960s at a time when land values were considerably lower than today; this 22 ha total includes 4 ha of white vines Members bring another 8 ha of Hermitage vines of their own – so the Cave de Tain controls 30 ha (or 22 per cent) of Rhône’s grandest vineyard It also owns a little land in Crozes-Hermitage where land prices are prohibitive for any young grower not fortunate enough to inherit land the Cave de Tain was recently able to set up four young growers with rental arrangements These ‘domain’ holdings give the co-operative both a chance to compete at the very highest levels of quality for the main landholdings – some 950 ha in production this year including around 40 per cent of all Crozes-Hermitage I’ve visited many vinification cellars in my lifetime including those of high-tech drama (Cos d’Estournel Montes) and striking beauty (Cheval Blanc) – but I’ve never seen one as ingenious complex and intricately engineered as that which the Cave de Tain installed in the nine months between the end of the 2013 and start of the 2014 harvest for an eventual cost of around 11 million euros Since this isn’t a wine technology website but let’s just say that this cellar enables the Cave de Tain’s talented winemaker Xavier Frouin to carry out the selectivity soft handling and small-batch fermentation of a top private estate – but with a far larger and more heterogenous fruit intake are much smaller than those of most well-funded private domains Anyone interested in cellar technicalities should make an appointment to visit The Burgundy-like size and rising land values of the Northern Rhône also pose a challenge for wine buyers sniffing out value makes the Cave de Tain a desirable partner in the high standards of its leading négociant producers (Guigal Jaboulet and Delas) – but can any of them match the Cave de Tain for value Moreover I’ve taken part in blind tastings of Hermitage Rouge itself which reveal that the Cave de Tain’s bottlings can compete head-to-head with leading producer’s top ‘parcellaire’ wines Notes on some outstanding wines from the current Cave de Tain range follow I’d particularly draw readers’ attention to the 2015 red Crozes-Hermitage in the Grand Classique series Does any other red wine on the global market match at present this magnificently zesty pungent 2015 as a characterful vin de terroir at less than 10 euros per bottle (the co-operative cellar-door price) Importers should queue up for as much as possible of the small lake (8,000 hl) of this invincible Crozes crusader as they have shelf space for This white Collines Rhodaniennes retails for less than five euros at the Tain shop with enough vinosity and structure behind its lemony fruit to make a fine mealtime fish accompaniment and with a little honeysuckle enchantment to draw you into the glass exuberant and exciting scent mingling notes of smoke both vivid and fresh without being acidulous; the wine is tannic enough to give its fruit shape and gravitas but not roughness or austerity; and it has overtones which bring light and shade to the wine via faint notes of smoke of the saltiness which is such a hallmark of parts of Crozes and of the ‘stony’ flavours which lovers of terroir wine crave Another benchmark wine of resonant fruit purity plus in this case ‘the Cornas difference’ — which translates into a little extra spice Tasting this wine in the context of its peers reveals the excellence of the Cave de Tain’s terroir expressions alluvial-soiled parcels in Méal and La Croix both of them planted with Marsanne vines after phylloxera (thus over a century old) it’s as unfruity as the Crozes Classique is fruity The beauty here is related to the wine’s structure sap and marrow; to what seem to be crushed stone flavours; and to its aromatic allusions – more wild plants and flowers disparate and sometimes excessively cool appellation of St Joseph is never less than a challenge but it’s one that the Cave de Tain has risen impressively to with this fragrant This is principally an acid-structured wine but the acidity clings to the fresh yet ripe blackcurrant flavours and above all it succeeds in conveying the bright mouthwatering hardness which seems to mark some granite-grown Northern Rhône reds An irresistable Cornas with bramble fruit and spice aromas and generous resonant flavours: not just bramble fruits but the whole bush and bank itself – a synopsis I suspect there will be more precision to this ‘parcellaire’ once we taste versions vinified in the new cellar but 2010 is a great vintage and this wine reflects that grandeur Considering that the Cave de Tain produces two separate selections of Hermitage above this one (Gambert de Loche and the tiny-production Epsilon) the Classique Hermitage simply has no right to be as good as it is in 2010 – except for the fact that the vintage is a great one with an impressive aromatic repertoire: charcoal unburdening spadefuls of dark black fruits and then finishing under a black snow of liquorice and spice This will surely see out two decades with ease The Gambert de Loche cuvée is the Cave de Tain’s principal ‘prestige’ version based almost entirely on the co-operarative’s own domain and with more of an emphasis on the granite parcels in the west than the ‘classique’ The 2013 vintage is still young and elemental: benchmark aromas and flavours of dark with a smoky smudge dragged across the fruit and with plenty of high-focus grip and attack It’s an outstanding classic which needs another half decade to soften and open up The Cave de Tain has been one of the prime movers in the Vin de Paille renaissance in Hermitage and it has an impressive range of vintages in stock although the wine in made in tiny quantities in the best vintages only My view is that this is not necessarily a wine which ages well – so the 2011 at present the youngest and cheapest on sale dripping with luscious allusions – more buttered summer stonefruit Bordeaux native Yohan Castaing is a freelance journalist southwest France and Champagne houses for The Wine Advocate a guide to the wines of the Rh\u00f4ne Valley He also writes for wine publications including Gault&Millau and Jancis Robinson Castaing has held a variety of positions in the wine industry such as wine buyer and marketing director He was a wine marketing consultant and the author of several books about wine marketing and wine tourism before he became a full-time freelance wine journalist focusing on the industry and wine reviews the well-known producer of Tain-l’Hermitage in Northern Rhône has bought Château des Ferrages in Provence Maison Michel Chapoutier, the well-known producer of Tain-l’Hermitage in Northern Rhône, has bought Château des Ferrages in Provence the pioneer of biodynamic farming in the Rhône valley a stronger position in the fast growing rosé wine sector and is evidence of an expansion strategy in this area Château des Ferrages is located in Pourcieux between Aix-en-Provence and Saint-Maximin in the lowland of Sainte-Victoire The estate covers 28 hectares and produces both Côtes-de-Provence and Côtes-de-Provence Saint-Victoire wines With a 1,000-square-metre winery that has a total production capacity of 3,500 hectolitres the estate currently produces 1,400 hectolitres per year That is equivalent to around 187,000 bottles Provence is a natural continuation of the Rhône Valley,’ Corinne Chapoutier told Decanter.com Maison Chapoutier will retain the Château des Ferrages brand and will not include its umbrella logo bottle labels She declined to provide any more details before an official press release the Château des Ferrages estate will not operate using biodynamic farming methods Financial details of the deal were not disclosed Château des Ferrages was previously owned José Garcia and had been in the same family for three generations Global rosé wine sales are around 2.6bn bottles annually according to the most recently released figures from research group The IWSR and trade show Vinexpo Hermitage was mercifully spared by the frost in 2021 however with elevated rainfall dilution was still a major issue ‘It was the great terroirs that made good wines in 2021,’ said Jean-Louis Chave of Domaine JL Chave ‘you needed slopes and old vines.’ This helped to avoid dilution The wines below all scored 93 points or above and are listed white then red in score order ‘We would have called this a great vintage in the 1980s but now we fear the climate,’ says Jean-Louis Chave that brings to mind the climatic extremes that birthed it But if any appellation can generate the concentration intensity and structure required to balance the excesses provoked by the 2019 growing season During a recent invitation to Tain l’Hermitage our Bordeaux correspondent Colin Hay tasted a historical vertical of Château La Lagune made by winemaker Caroline Frey For an in-depth conversation with Frey, see here. All the wines were tasted with winemaker Caroline Frey and commercial director at Jaboulet Jean–Luc Chapel at Le Vineum in Tain L’Hermitage They were tasted youngest to oldest and then compared In conversation: Caroline Frey of Château La Lagune and Paul Jaboulet Aîné We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings we will not be able to save your preferences This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again and extended it with a new wine cellar and shop clad in a curving solid stone façade the existing building has been restored to receive guests while the new construction offers space for maturing select wines the chai takes the form of an undulating garden wall which is topped with a belvedere that offers views of the famous hermitage slopes.carl fredrik svenstedt architect in renovating and extending the maison delas frères, paris-based carl fredrik svenstedt architect built on the double identity of the house and its luxuriant garden and the winery and it’s courtyard for the harvest eighty-meters-long and seven-meters-high wall in solid stone which was carved by a robot and then post-tensioned to the foundations using stainless steel cables the full fabrication sequence of the blocks for the curved wall can be seen in the video below: ramps inside the winery allow visitors to follow the wine making process while ascending along the curving the choice of stone has been made both because it relates to the surrounding location and also because the porous texture of the walls offers ideal conditions for the wine the shop has been built as a linear space behind shading forming the opposing garden wall. architect: carl fredrik svenstedt architect client: deutz champagne delas frères team: carl fredrik svenstedt, sébastien tabourin, boris lefevre, monica monosilio, thomas dauphant, caroline leveque, estelle bethon, alice bertin, agathe prouteau happening now! partnering with antonio citterio, AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function, but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style, context, and personal expression. It was built in 1963 as a Belgian freight-carrying cargo barge before being converted into a hotel barge in 1990 Here's what you can expect on a Napoleon river cruise: The six cabins are all approximately 150 square feet Cruises include all meals with wine (and French cheese board) all shore excursions (walking tour of Van Gogh's Arles Public spaces include a saloon with piano keyboard Bose iPod docking station and a small DVD Player dining area and a sun deck with sun loungers and hot tub A large canopy over part of the deck provides a shaded dining area and covers some sun loungers and an exercise bike The six- or seven-person crew is made up of a pilot The man who slapped French President Emmanuel Macron in the face on Monday has been jailed appeared in court in Valence charged with violence against a person invested with public authority He was jailed for four months and given an additional 14-month suspended sentence He was also banned from ever holding public office and from owning weapons for five years According to AFP Tarel identified himself in court as a right-wing “patriot” and a member of the Yellow Jackets protest movement and appeared in court wearing the same green T-shirt he wore on the day of his arrest Asked why he had attacked the president when Macron was on a visit to the southeastern town of Tain-l’Hermitage Tarel said he had thought about throwing an egg or cream tart but insisted he had not considered slapping Macron and acted on impulse I was filled with disgust,” he was reported as saying to the court You cannot buy an Ursula von der Leyen watch POLITICO has reviewed the declarations of interest of every European Commission nominee Keir Starmer’s sausages/hostages mix-up was a gaffe for the ages Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Complete digital access to quality analysis and expert insights complemented with our award-winning Weekend Print edition Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times Located south of Lyon, La Pyramide in Vienne is a ‘temple to gastronomy’ according to Decanter’s Rhône correspondent Matt Walls This two Michelin star family-run restaurant offers a fine dining experience sourcing many of its ingredients from the Rhône Valley it creates an innovative cuisine that combines traditional French techniques with modern twists If you’re looking for a casual and relaxed dining experience to enjoy local dishes accompanied by an extensive Côte-Rôtie and Condrieu wine list then there are two great bistros located in Ampuis that will not disappoint: Le Bistrot de Serine features an authentic local cuisine that pairs perfectly with its well thought out regional wine list To ensure you pick the perfect tipple to match your meal the helpful staff is on hand to share their expert knowledge of the wines Les Epicurieux offers a fresh tasty cuisine sourced locally and organically with a carefully selected wine list from recognised estates and winegrowers who align with their values of respect for mother nature For a more formal dining experience, Domaine de Clairefontaine is an indulgent place to stop This one Michelin star restaurant provides seasonal and signature menus bursting with fresh flavours that highlight local products ‘Don’t miss Le Mangevins one of my favourite restaurants in the world beautifully balanced dishes using local products cooked with a subtle Japanese influence.’ Matt Walls Visit Le Mangevins for fresh dishes perfectly paired with exceptional wines by the glass or bottle Travel over the river in Tournon to visit the highly recommended Le Cerisier restaurant renowned for its excellent wine list and homemade dishes This is a small establishment with two uniquely different rooms The second room leads on to an elegant hidden terrace creatively modernised and made from good quality local ingredients Get the chance to experience some of the culinary delights of the northern Rhône as part of the Decanter Wine Experiences Walls will take you on a guided tour of the Rhône Valley giving you exclusive access to wineries and top dining experiences you wouldn’t get anywhere else Dates: 25th of June until the 2nd of July 2023 Tickets are selling fast and only a handful remain *View Terms and Conditions here Crozes-Hermitage is home to a band of young producers with New World attitudes Matt Walls introduces some of the names you should know and finds a growing adoption of natural and biodynamic methods The first time I drank David Reynaud’s white Crozes-Hermitage The Rhône may be one of the great fine wine regions of the world but it is refreshingly free of airs and graces Crozes is rarely expensive; it’s ‘un vin democratique’ in the words of local vigneronne Natacha Chave Crozes is now the breeding ground of Rhône experimentation; the New World of the northern Rhône Not that it suffers the New World excesses of 20 years ago: high alcohol It channels the excitement of the contemporary New World: open-minded and dynamic ready to embrace modern methods and technology biodynamics and natural wines for inspiration aromatic wines brings into focus what Crozes does best – a uniquely vibrant expression of the Syrah grape Crozes has long been the underdog of the northern Rhône but competition between a host of new estates is driving up quality Crozes-Hermitage is situated on the east bank of the northern Rhône valley and comprises two principal parts The first is to the north of the hill of Hermitage producing fine reds and focused whites on varied terroirs It produces less than a quarter of the total volume This is where you’ll find the village of Crozes though ironically there are no longer any wineries based there David Reynaud’s estate is situated at the eastern edge of the newer This large annexe extends to the southeast of Hermitage and arguably deserves a separate designation the terroir consists of gentle plateaux of red clay large rounded pebbles that wouldn’t look out of place in Châteauneuf-du-Pape The reds and whites from this area tend to be a little richer but his wide eyes and wider smile are immediately disarming His story is common among newer Crozes-Hermitage estates this was a land of polyculture farming; you can still find rows of peaches His family were local farmers for generations who grew grapes to sell to the local co-operative On returning home from military service in 2000 converted the 20ha of family vineyards to biodynamic practices and in doing so created his own estate They magnify the higher-toned fragrances of the Syrah grape these attractive aromatics are backed up by body He has no qualms with the term ‘natural wines’ for his range acid or yeast and only a bare minimum of sulphur He has a sense of adventure that is less common in other parts of the northern Rhône vertical basket presses for his reds and a remarkably successful cuvée called Entre Ciel et Terre produced entirely without sulphur made above all The Syrah grape offers many things in the northern Rhône; power Crozes is most adept at expressing its more joyful side and winemakers like Reynaud excel in bringing it out Growers who once sold their grapes now make their own wines: the number of independent wineries in Crozes-Hermitage has doubled since 1996 That so many are going it alone shows the health of the appellation but it’s not just that,’ says winemaker Yann Chave ‘people want to be able to say “this is my wine”.’ Chave’s story is similar to Reynaud’s; he took over the family estate in 1996 converted the estate to organic viticulture and started bottling his own wine He’s noticed higher levels of acidity and better balance in his wines since he changed his viticultural approach His wines offer freshness and an understated power He achieves this by picking relatively late to ensure full ripeness and opting for a long maceration but a very gentle extraction then all new; now it is more balanced.’ He compares Hermitage to a traditional old England and Crozes-Hermitage to the United States the land of opportunity: ‘It’s possible to achieve something here… there are always new things happening.’ are in fact relative newcomers to the region He looks to express the calling card of Crozes – ‘true Domaine Alain Graillot has always included stems in its ferments But for the Equis range Maxime destems 70% to 100% of the crop bright and fruity style that is enjoyable immediately and his love of the Côte d’Or is evident in his wines Maxime believes that Crozes-Hermitage is ‘one of the most dynamic appellations in the northern Rhône He attributes this openness to experimentation to the local history of polyculture The average size of a farm in Crozes is 20ha the average size of a farm in [St Joseph] is probably 6ha.’ Large volumes to play with make experimental cuvées less of a risk and the flat terroir means that trying out new growing methods is relatively easy Natacha Chave is Yann Chave’s younger sister but instead of working on the family estate she forged her own path She bought her first Crozes- Hermitage vines in 2007 – a block of 45-year-old vines in Mercurol favouring natural or biodynamic preparations instead She has been experimenting recently by planting Serine Her first white Crozes will be from the 2012 vintage ‘I think there has been tremendous progress on Crozes whites,’ she says ‘They are much better balanced than before.’ Crozes-Hermitage is the cheapest appellation to buy land in the northern Rhône and there remains a further 1,500ha of Crozes to be planted She welcomes the newcomers who have set up in the area over the past 15 years which she says has led to a valuable exchange of ideas Reynaud has added St-Joseph and Cornas to his range; Graillot has too; and Yann Chave makes a Hermitage No doubt their success is being studiously observed by their neighbours biodynamic and natural practices has come easily to this part of the Rhône This lighter touch plays to the region’s strengths and seems to amplify Syrah’s more delicate aromas the higher ranges that can be less audible in the rest of the region ‘in Cornas or St-Joseph the terroir is more obvious in the tasting’ but for Crozes-Hermitage ‘not feeling the terroir is the signature of the terroir’ Graillot suggests some winemakers in Crozes suffer from ‘a kind of a complex’ since their terroir is less striking compared to the vertiginous terraces over the river which makes them lack belief in its potential making them all the more determined to prove themselves Crozes winemakers once measured themselves against other nearby Rhône appellations making the mistake of ‘trying to make a Cornas from a Crozes’ as Reynaud puts it and the current generation of forward-looking winemakers are bringing them to the fore See Matt Walls’ top nine Crozes-Hermitage It’s not just in Britain that we can add snob value to our names by double-barreling them The same is true of French wine villages: Crozes-Hermitage Chassagne and Gevrey hitched themselves to Montrachet and Chambertin Crozes-Hermitage is quite a vague appellation worshipping at the foot of the mighty hills of Hermitage overlooking the town of Tain-l’Hermitage The vineyards north of Tain have little in common with those south of the town but no matter: they are all Crozes-Hermitage So it’s tempting to ask whether the wines from Crozes can ever come close to the majesty of fine Hermitage And the short answer is: very occasionally https://www.decanter.com/features/a-different-kind-of-burgundy-chassange-249174/ The soils that most resemble those of Crozes-Hermitage are found in Gervans Some of the vineyards here are steep and granitic The best known is the estate of Raymond Roure which was bought in its entirety by Jaboulet in the late 1990s and clay slopes once famous for their white wine The finest reds come from la plaine (flatter land around the hamlets of Les Chassis and Les Sept Chemins midway between Tain and Pont-de-l’Isère) and parcels are strewn with potato-sized boulders similar to those found in Châteauneuf-du-Pape further south Etienne Pochon of Château Curson explains: ‘Much of the plain consists of gravelly soil with little water retention especially since there are growers who routinely overcrop since the boulders retain heat.’ They are the source of some of Crozes’ best-known wines: Jaboulet’s Thalabert In the past the slopes around Mercurol were just as celebrated Etienne Pochon displays a menu from the 1930s recording a dinner at which the estate’s white wines from 1893 and 1894 were served Today one would be reluctant to serve a white Crozes at 10 years of age The white wines are made mostly from Marsanne though some growers have been planting Roussanne too but its aromatic rewards are greater than than the sometimes flabby Marsanne In 1995 I organised a blind tasting of white Crozes hoping to find encouraging signs of improvement there is still a dearth of exciting white wine such as Château Curson and Jaboulet’s well-known Mule Blanche There is no shortage of winemaking talent in Crozes-Hermitage In the 1980s Crozes was dominated by négociant houses such as Jaboulet and Chapoutier and a few private estates such as Entrefaux Other celebrated properties are of more recent foundation: Alain Graillot first made wine here in 1985 ‘because I have always liked Syrah and because land was affordable.’ He likes to pick late even at the risk of low acidity in the grapes ‘I can’t deny that the soils where I have my white vines are light Nonetheless I like to think of it as grand petit vin.’ especially Cuvée La Guiraude which is only produced in top vintages Graillot is unusual in not destemming the grapes yet the wines don’t lack colour or structure Graillot unearthed for me a bottle of his first vintage but this 1985 Crozes-Hermitage was delicious: gamey Florent Viale at Domaine du Colombier also produces two cuvées Laurent Combier has orchards as well as vineyards His vineyards are divided between the Les Chassis plateau and 4ha at Gervans near Tain There are three bottlings: the simple ‘L’; the regular Combier wine aged in older barrels; and the excellent Clos des Grives There’s also a white Clos des Grives The reds have a beguiling crushed red fruits quality The soils are lighter around Chanos-Curson and this is reflected in the wines of Domaine des Entrefaux A long-term partnership between Charles Tardy and Bernard Ange the property was thrown into some turmoil when in 1998 Ange left to start up his own estate has now been replaced by Les Pends for the white (with one third Roussanne) and Les Machonnières for the red These are wines of charm rather than concentration The Domaine Pochon wines are fairly light too but the higher-priced Château Curson bottlings from the same vineyards are much more exciting and is aged in the barrels previously used After a spell as an oenologist in the Savoie He has just built a large underground winery but insists: ‘I want to make wines in exactly the same way that my grandfather did and decide when to pick the grapes by the old-fashioned method of tasting them!’ Cuvée Pavillon is his early-drinking Crozes only partly destemmed and aged in 15% new oak drenched in flavours of blackberries and other black fruits; sweet Other good private estates include Albert Belle The négociant houses are still big players The whites are enjoyable young but lack length The unoaked Petite Ruche is for early drinking And since 1994 Michel Chapoutier has made Les Varonniers from a parcel of 60-year-old vines that adjoins Hermitage Along with Jaboulet’s Domaine de Roure this wine has a claim to being the Crozes that comes closest to rivalling Hermitage itself Les Meyssoniers is the best value; although less dense and voluptuous than Varonniers and now produces one of the most attractive Jaboulet is enormously proud of its Domaine de Roure grown on a large parcel of stony soil with many old vines a complex mouthful that becomes more gamey with age Les Jalets is an inexpensive cuvée intended for early drinking The cooperative at Tain vinifies 60% of all Crozes-Hermitage but until recently quality has never been exciting She has installed pneumatic presses and temperature-controlled tanks and works closely with the 400 growers who supply the cooperative it is clear the cooperative was improving in quality in the late 1990s especially with its top cuvée Hauts de Fief but Julie Campos intends to keep pushing the quality levels higher some of its wines are too light and simple to warrant much attention or praise On the other hand there is a far wider range of excellent wines The négociants no longer have the field to themselves and growers such as Combier and Robin are going from strength to strength And with the exception of some of the limited-production top cuvées https://www.decanter.com/premium/understanding-hermitage-248139/ has been slapped by a protester during an official engagement A video showing the French president getting assaulted surfaced on social media on Tuesday Macron had emerged from a building and walked towards persons gathered behind a barricade to talk to them a man held on to him and slapped him in the face with his right hand The man could be heard shouting out “A Bas La Macronie” (Down with Macronia) before slapping the French president The security aides of Macron promptly intervened and pulled him out of the situation Macron was clad in a white shirt tucked into black trousers while his attacker had a green T-Shirt on According to French media, the incident took place during an official visit to Tain-l’Hermitage Macron was said to have met restaurant owners and students to discuss the gradual return to normalcy after the COVID-19 pandemic Two men have been arrested in connection to the incident Macron was said to have engaged other persons in the crowd — even after the slap — before leaving the area FRANCE—Video emerges of @EmmanuelMacron slapped in the face, while greeting people during his tour of the #Drôme Two people reportedly arrested. pic.twitter.com/4mxU7tOrMJ — Bree A Dail (@breeadail) June 8, 2021 Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); French President Emmanuel Macron has been slapped in the face on an official visit to the southeast of France Macron is seen walking up to a barrier on a trip to Tain-l’Hermitage outside the city of Valence A man slaps Macron in the face before officers quickly move in Two men have been arrested in the wake of the incident the words “Down with Macron-ism” are shouted #Macron se fait gifler en direct de #Tain pic.twitter.com/tsXdByo22U — ⚜️ (@AlexpLille) June 8, 2021 Politicians have swiftly denounced the incident Prime Minister Jean Castex told the National Assembly shortly afterwards that while democracy meant debate and legitimate disagreement “it must never in any case mean violence verbal aggression and even less physical attack” Far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon tweeted his “solidarity with the President” immediately after the slap And far-right leader Marine Le Pen posted her own condemnation saying that “while democratic debate can be bitter it can never tolerate physical violence” President Macron is currently on a tour of France and had just visited a hotel school in Tain-l’Hermitage His visit to the area was set to continue on Tuesday with a trip to a vocational institute for 25-30 year-olds The president’s visit comes on the eve of a major step for French bars and restaurants which will be able to reopen to indoor customers after seven months of closure France’s overnight curfew is also being pushed back on Wednesday from 21:00 to 23:00 New Zimbabwe.com Tweets by NewZimbabweCom NewZimbabwe.com – The Zimbabwe News You Trust is Zimbabwe’s leading online newspaper and published by New Zimbabwe Media Ltd The platform brings you the latest breaking News Diaspora and gives you everything you’ve come to expect and love Our Forums are vibrant and gives everyone a chance to be heard tablet smart phone or on our App its quick easy and free access all the news you love NewZimbabwe.com is updated continually with the latest news to help you feed your addiction with stories & photos from Zimbabwe and many more!